Trust and Obey

"Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law" - (Galatians 3:13a, NLT).

"There are just too many rules and commandments to remember. No one can be expected to remember all that stuff!"

Have you ever heard someone say something like that? Have you ever thought it yourself? Have you ever said it yourself?

It's true, in a way. There do seem to be a lot of commandments in the Bible: "Do not murder," "Do not steal," Do not covet," "Do not blaspheme God or curse anyone who rules over you." It seems like it would be impossible for anyone to remember all those commands, let alone obey­them all!

As a matter of fact, it was impossible for hundreds of years. Century after century, men and women tried to fulfill God's law, but for century after century, they failed. Even the most godly people in the world failed: Abraham, Moses, David. If they couldn't keep all God's commands, who can?

No one. . . except Jesus. He's the only one who fulfilled all the commands and requirements of the Law. He's the only one who never sinned.

So if you're hoping to obey every one of God's commands, give it up. It'll never happen. You can't do it. But Jesus can.

You see, that's one of the wonderful things about Jesus. He not only lived a righteous life two thousand years ago; he's living a righteous life right now. And if you are a Christian, he is living that righteous life in you through his Holy Spirit. You don't have to force yourself to obey all of God's commands. All you have to do is give yourself daily to the control of Jesus Christ, and he will live a righteous life in you.

You can never hope to remember all of God's commands. But you don't have to. Jesus will do it for you and inyou if you just trust him and follow him every day.

Reflect:Do you think you could obey God's commands by yourself? Why or why not? What's the difference between tryingto obey God's commands and trustingJesus to do it foryou and in you? Which have you been doing? How can you start trusting Jesus every day to live his righteous life in you?

Loving When It Hurts

Bible Reading: 1 John 2:1-10


Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did. - 1 John 2:6.


Here's a quiz to take. How many of these actions sound loving?


(a) If a friend shows up at church with a smudge on his face, I quietly let him know so he can clean it off.


(b) I share my glue with friends who like to color, cut, and glue.


(e) Once in a while when I'm bowling with friends I purposely throw a gutter ball so they won't feel bad about being such awful bowlers.


While those might not be the most significant examples of love in the world, at least they're a start. Because love is more than a good feeling. It's an action.


Be aware of this: All of your right, good, loving actions might not be accompanied by a flood of warm, fuzzy feelings of love or affection.


You don't always feel like obeying your parents, doing your homework, or brushing your teeth. But most of the time you manage to do those things because you have made a decision to do what's right.


Love is the same way. It isn't something you always feel; it's something you do. You might get good feelings when you do loving deeds, but God wants you to love even if you don't. Jesus didn't feel like giving his life to save the human race. He prayed, looking for a way to avoid the cross (see Matthew 26:38-39). But he chose to follow God's plan and sacrifice himself for our sin.


When we wonder if we really love people the way God intends, here's our real-life, real-love checklist:


I make the health, happiness, and growth of my friends as important to me as my own.
I help my friends mature in every possible way-mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.
I protect my friends from anything that threatens their well-being. I help my friends love God more.
If we can say each of those statements with total honesty, we're truly loving others. And when we put love into action, we're loving people with the greatest love in the universe. It's the kind of real-life, action-packed love that God has shown to us.


TALK: Who in your life needs love—even if you don't feel like loving them? How can you use God's love to love that person?


ACT: Maybe you've intended to do something great for a friend but haven't gotten around to it. Do it today!

Delivery Day!

Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mothers womb and be born? Jesus answered, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:3-6 (NKJV)

When I was a young kid in the 60s, I often thought about what Id do when I grew up. I was torn between being a policeman, being a lawyer, or being a doctor. Im not sure where the influence came from. Maybe it was the board game of Life, or possibly watching those great TV shows such as Dragnet, Markus Welby, or Perry Mason. But one things for sure, I was sure that I was going to do one of those three.

Im not sure what happened but I dont have a badge or carry a gun, Im not defending anyone in court, nor have I completed my first brain surgery as of yet. Maybe next week? : I did however join my wife in the delivery room as I witnessed the birth of our two daughters and was able to see what it took to deliver a new life into the world. Quite fascinating! Those Lamaze classes paid off.

Jesus talks about our being born physically, but He puts a bigger emphasis on our being born again spiritually. And as much of a miracle as it is to see the growth and birth of a little baby, it is even more precious in the Lords sight when we become born again, and are now alive spiritually. This happens when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We confess our sin with our mouth, and that we believe in our heart He is the Savior, and that He died on the cross for our sin, and was raised to life (See Rom 10:9-10).

What I find fascinating about the spiritual birth of another human being is that God actually allows us to be a part of it.

The process begins when spiritual seeds are planted first. This happens when someone shares the Gospel with another person. They can do this verbally by sharing their belief in Him, or by giving their testimony of how Jesus changed their life.

Once a seed has been planted, it needs to be watered. This can happen in various ways. When we, as Christians, live Christ before those whove heard about Him, they get to see His love through us, and it gives a testimony as to how real He is, and what they might receive once they accept Him. This process can take a lifetime for some people, while others see and desire this relationship with God right away.

The final step of the process is the delivery. Just as it happens in the case of a mother giving birth to a child, one day comes along, and it is time. We might not even realize the person who weve been talking to about Jesus, is ready to accept Him. And it might not have even been us that spoke with them about Him at all, but there we are. And the next thing you know, you are smack dab in the middle of the delivery room, and you find yourself asking them if they want to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

Such was the case in my life today.

My wife Carol and I were up in Pismo enjoying a much-needed vacation, and it had been very relaxing. As I was sitting listening to the waves crash against the cliffs outside, I was sitting down to write a devotional.

I saw that I had missed a phone call, and had a message. It was a girlfriend of a guy who I know from our church. She said that she had an important question and asked if Id please call her back on his phone. I placed the call, and she told me that they had gone to his bosss church that morning and she had heard him mention the sinners prayer in the message. And she wanted to know what it meant.

It was obvious that the seed had been planted, it had been watered, and it was delivery time.

So I told her what it was, and talked with her about what it meant, I then asked her if she wanted to accept Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. She responded immediately with a resounding, Yes! I led her in prayer, talked with her about her decision and then prayed for her again.

I got off the phone and sat there in awe at the fact that God had chose to use me as a kind of a spiritual doctor. And He allowed me to help give birth to another baby Christian.

As I sit here tonight, Im laughing inside about the 3-things I wanted to be as a kid. I find it pretty cool, that I am used by the Lord in conversations of accountability (policeman). I am used to help defend those who are innocent, and who arent always able to defend themselves (lawyer). And I am used in the gift of counseling which helps in the healing process of many people who are hurting. And I even get to help with a birth of a new Christian now and then (doctor).

God is amazing!

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)


STUDY QUESTION: According to the Scriptures above, what must we do to enter the kingdom of God?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Have you made this profession of faith in Christ yet?

APPLICATION: If you know that you have sinned, and you want forgiveness, and you want a relationship with Jesus; if you would like to ask Jesus to come into your heart, and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness, then pray the prayer below. If youve already done this, then maybe its time to share with someone else.

It Just Slipped!

But if I say Ill never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. Its like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I cant do it! Jeremiah 20:9 9 (NLT)

Have you ever said something that you did not intend on saying? Perhaps thinking back on it, you could honestly say, It just slipped! Or maybe it was simply a reaction to something that was said in a conversation. Either way, you didnt plan on saying it.

Have you ever told yourself that you werent going to speak of a certain thing, only to find that it was too hard to contain? Unfortunately this most usually happens with gossip.

But that was not the case of the prophet Jeremiah was making in the Scripture above. He found that there was no way that he could contain what he knew about God. And he found that the more he resolved to not say anything about the Lord, it became just as if his bones were filled with fire.

Its been said, that we can determine how healthy our relationship with the Lord is, by how many people were sharing Him with. That can be our love and knowledge of Him, along with our testimony of how He has changed our life.

But let me just say at this point, Im not a fan of anyone telling another person of how they should share the love of God with another person. In fact, I think Ive written it before, but I really have a hard time with these emails that go around telling you that you need to be one of the 7% that forward it, or you dont love the Lord. Hog wash!

That is not true, and I can tell you most of the time, it is simply someone attempting chase down email addresses, or it is the enemy attempting to sew seeds of contention among the believers.

I dont believe you should be told to share anything. I find that they will naturally do it if they love what theyre sharing (This applies to gossip too). Its that simple.


In fact, I find that most of us dont have a problem sharing certain things with others in our life. People are eager to share what they did for fun over the weekend or on vacation. People love to share what theyve purchased, such as a new home, car, ring or watch. Parents love to share how their child scored a goal in soccer, or hit a home run in the baseball game.

And if were excited about what we know, well blurt it right out if the subject comes up and we have the chance to share it.

For instance, how about when someone comes up to another person and asks, Have you lost some weight lately? And the person responds very quickly, and with a smile on their face, 25-pounds!

I guess it comes down to whether or not we are excited about the Lord dying for us on the cross. I guess it comes down to whether we are reading the Word regularly and have things that we want to pass on to others. I guess it just plain comes down to whether we have that type of relationship with the Lord, that we would really want others to experience it as well. Are we sad because they dont have a relationship with Him, or eternal life?

We know that everyone wont accept what we have to say. In fact, to some, it is outright foolishness. But to others, it is the very thing that they need and desire to hear. Theyve been waiting for someone to explain to them what it means to be a Christian.

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV)

Hey Christian, God has done some pretty amazing stuff in our life.

Hey, who knows, maybe these things will just slip out the next time were speaking with others.

STUDY QUESTION: According to 1 Corinthians 1:18, what is the Gospel message?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Is your relationship with God so special that you would want to share it with someone?

  APPLICATION: The more we read the Word, the more we learn to know and love our Lord and Savior. When this happens, we cant help but share with others.

A Heart of Compassion-Part II

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Matthew 9:35-36 (NKJV)


In Part I of this devotional we first looked at how Jesus had looked out on the multitudes of people, and how He was moved with compassion for them. He saw how weary they were.

As we continue to look at these verses, we see that Jesus viewed the multitudes of people as Scattered like Sheep having no shepherd.

Boy isnt this true of our world today? There are so many sheep running around saying that they dont need a shepherd, and yet, in doing so, theyre either following each other off the cliff, or just hanging out with the enemy which is the same as hanging out with the big bad wolf that took over grandmas house and waited for Little Red Riding Hood!

My grandma, what big shinny teeth you have&

But not all sheep are walking around trying to avoid the shepherd. In fact, there are many who want to know about the Gospel, but they dont know who to ask, or whom they should follow. And we see in the next verse, Jesus goes on to speak about this.

Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. Matthew 9:37-38 (NKJV)

Here we see Jesus is referring to how many people that are out walking about, ready to receive the Lord, but there arent many people who are willing to go and share the gospel, and lead them to Him. So Jesus is telling us to pray that people will respond to the need for workers. Another thing we should know is that often when we pray, God will use us to answer our own prayers. So we need to be ready for Him to use us to lead another person to Jesus.

Q:How can we do this?

We can start by sharing our personal testimony of what Jesus has done for us. And we can also be prepared to share the Gospel message with others as well. Dont assume that they know these things. We need to share that God is the one who will forgive them of their sin because of what Jesus did when He died on the cross of Calvary, and rose from the grave three days later.

Jesus is God, and He is the Good Shepherd. And a Good Shepherd watches over His flock. What a safe place to be in a very unsafe and unstable world.

Hey Christian, I know who my shepherd is, and He knows me to.

I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. John 10:14 (NKJV)

And knowing Him makes me want to share him with everyone!

I like the way the Apostle Paul shares his compassion for those who are lost and dont know Christ yet. He says, With Christ as my witness, I speak with utter truthfulness. My conscience and the Holy Spirit confirm it. My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursedcut off from Christ! If that would save them(See Rom 1-3).


Hey Christian, weve been given something very special. Lets not take our relationship with God for granted. Lets acknowledge what God has done, and what He is doing in our lives today. Lets ask God to give us a Heart of Compassion. And lets share it with everyone.

STUDY QUESTION: What can we determine about having a healthy relationship with God from John 10:14?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Do you know God? Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ? Have you made Him your personal Lord and Savior? Are you willing to be used in the gathering of the Harvest?

APPLICATION: Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, He didnt say that it will be plentiful. We can go to work right now and begin to ask people if they would like to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Dont let potential embarrassment stop you from offering eternal life to someone.

A Heart of Compassion-Part I

Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Matthew 9:35-37 (NKJV)


If you were one of the passengers on the Titanic, and it started to sink, would you give up a spot on one of the lifeboats for someone else? Im speaking of you already knowing the outcome of the event, and as if you were being put in the position right now. How would you react? Well, on paper, if youre a Christian, then you should know, to be absent form the body is to be present with the Lord.

We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2Corinthians 5:8 (NKJV)

So why not look around and trade with someone who didnt know the Lord?

That is exactly what Jesus did when he came to earth. He knew the outcome for all those who had sinned, and He was willing to exchange His life, for theirs.

The Scripture above captures Jesus attitude when he looked out at the multitude of people, as He was moved with compassion.

Ephesians 5:1 tells us that we are to be imitators of God, so, as Christians, we too, should be compassionate on others.

As we look at the people around us each day, there are so many who dont know Jesus as Lord and Savior as of yet, and they dont know of the love and provision that is there for them.

"These people are in our work places
"Theyre in our families
"Theyre at the ball fields
"Theyre in the grocery, and department stores
"Theyre within our circle of friends
"Theyre in our neighborhoods

As Christian men and women, we need to have compassionate hearts just like our Lord does. We can do this when we remember how much mercy is being given to us by the Lord, and by praying to the Him to open our eyes to see people as He does.

The next thing we see in this scripture is that Jesus noticed that those that He was looking upon were weary.

We can look around and see the same thing today as we look upon others and we see the stress and strain of anxiety and worry all about their faces. Try as they may, they cannot hide the signs of disappointment, and of losing hope in what this world has to offer.

So when we see others tired, beat and weary, we need to stop and encourage them, and pray for them, right then and there. Dont worry what other people might think, because truth be told, everyone needs, and will usually accept prayer.

Why is this? Because deep down, they know that God exists, and even though they might not have wanted to acknowledge Him before, they know that they need Him now.

In Part II of this devotional, well take a look at the last two things that we can see that our Lord observed, as he looked out at all the lost people wandering around.



STUDY QUESTION: According to the Scriptures above, what was Jesus attitude towards seeing so many people lost, and weary?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you compassionate on those you see who are beat down, and weary; those who are lost without a shepherd?

APPLICATION: Ask God to give you a compassionate heart for the lost and weary today.

Coming Into Agreement

For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

I was reading an email from my good friend Brant the other day, and he was sharing a conversation he had with someone concerning the financial status of our nation, and I found his answer to the guy straightforward.

Here is a snippet of what Brant wrote me: I was talking with this one buddy of mine and he was asking me why I wasn't concerned about all of this like he was- I told him that it was because I had faith in the Lord and wasn't worried about much of anything else as a result.

There are so many people, like this guy Brant was speaking to, who sit glued to their televisions each and every day, continuing to sift through each program and digesting a steady diet of depressing news. They are infatuated with this information and their lives reflect it as they pass on what they see and hear, with those around them.

I dont like to think of myself as an ostrich, but when it comes to watching the news of the television, or reading the paper, Ive stuck my head into the sand, so to speak.

Q: Why?

A:Because it is like watching a rerun over and over again. And there is no offer of hope contained within the negative message that is blaring into my mind.

Whatever we allow into our head, we tend to ultimately act upon to one extent or another depending on how long we think upon it. And this is plain to see with what is going on with respect to our economy. I am not ignorant of what is happening, nor am I suggesting that we all just pretend that its not happening and forget about it. What I am suggesting is to fill our minds with something that will in fact change our lives, and the lives of those around us.

Lets face it; if were not getting any messages of hope within the confines of our news media, then we best look elsewhere. And what better place to look than within the Bible? Where else can one get a message promising them hope and a future, and plans for good towards them? Nowhere?

I, too, have many people whom with I speak to, who also have concerns over the economy, and what the future holds. I, too, am often asked as to whether I am worried about what the future holds.

I have to reply no as well, because I know that my Lord and Savior has the perfect plan. I trust Him! Its that simple.

I do have compassion on the people losing their jobs, and their hope, because the result is worry, doubt, anger, depression and anxiety. Relationships crumble like old buildings in a large earthquake, and peoples lives are devastated.

I couldnt imagine walking through life, dealing with these emotions and having to conjure up a way to make it through. The stress and worry alone would end ones life far sooner than normal, as hope would be limited to ones own perception of security.

Still, there will be those people who dont believe in Christ. They cling tightly to what they have acquired and believe that it will be what saves them. But thats not what Jesus told us.

If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. Matthew 10:39 (NLT)

Heres the deal; we simply need to come into agreement with Gods plan for our life. He has a perfect plan for you, if youd only agree to let Him do it. He has every single detail figured out, and He wants to bless you beyond measure. Its our free choice to exercise, and it is mind-boggling to me how many people still say, no!

Im not suggesting that people start accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior to insure financial success. Fact is, you might be called to walk through this life with the bare minimum in terms of financial wealth. But you will have enough, and you will have total peace of mind. You will know youre going to spend eternity with God, and all those whove put their trust and faith in Jesus.

So your question for today is this:

Q:Are you in agreement with Gods plan for your life? Do you want what He wants to do for you, or do you want to go it alone?

If youre a Christian, youve already said that you trust Him with your soul, why would you doubt Him for the gas in your car now?

I want to encourage you today to start to think about the trust youve already placed in God, and to begin to ponder and meditate upon it. When you hear bad news, know in your heart, he has a plan for you specifically, and Hes going to see you through every trial and test. That, my friends, is some news to share with the world, and especially with those who are worried to death.

STUDY QUESTION: What can we learn about Gods guarantees for us in the verses above?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior yet?

APPLICATION: If you answered Yes to the question above, then apply this faith to the daily prayers for provisions, and enjoy the peace of mind. If youve answered No to this question, then I would strongly suggest starting a relationship with Jesus todayits amazing!

Lucky vs. God's Sovereignty

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. Romans 8:28-30 (NKJV)

I was pedaling home the other morning on my road bike, coming up the canyon to my house, when I observed a van losing control as it was coming down the winding canyon road towards me. I watched as the driver drifted towards the curb and then suddenly overcorrected, causing the to pitch sideways. I felt this strong urgency to move forward so I could get away from any potential collision path of the van, so I didn’t hesitate and I begin to pedal with all my strength up this hill. I was able to get about 3 revolutions out of my pedals before the van shot directly towards me and just barely passed by my rear tire within inches. It hit the curb and rolled over the guardrails and lay upside down—I had just missed being hit.

A passing motorist called for help, and I was able to help extricate a mother and her four children out of the van. After making sure everyone was okay and there were no major injuries, I asked the mom if I could pray for her. She nodded yes, and I immediately began to praise God for His mercy and grace. I asked for Him to give her a peace that surpassed all understanding to guard her heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Instantly, I could see her begin to calm down.

As I sat there and waited for the police to come assist I began to reflect on how close I came to dying, and then I immediately realized I was really never in danger—God was there the whole time, and in His sovereignty He chose to keep me perfectly safe.

As if to make this very point crystal clear, two firemen came over to me later and the first one said, “Hey, I hear you almost got hit…you’re really lucky…you should go buy a lottery ticket.” His partner quickly replied by saying, “It looks to me like God has a plan for his life.” I smiled and said, “Indeed, He does…”

The way I see it, luck doesn’t have anything to do with anything…God does, and in His sovereignty He works all things for good for those who love Him.

I want to encourage you to mediate upon these things today. Let’s choose to acknowledge the sovereignty of God and realize He has a perfect plan for each of our lives.

STUDY QUESTION: According to Romans 8:28 how many things work for good for those who love God?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Do you fully trust God with your life?

APPLICATION: Let’s choose to place a greater faith in God’s perfect plan for our lives, and allow Him to use us in every situation.

The Water Tank

Bible Reading: Psalm 18:1-28

To the faithful you show yourself faithful. - Psalm 18:25

Let love and faithfulness never leave you. - Proverbs 3:3, NIV.



A Story is told of a village in a part of the world that is rainy for a small part of the year and dry throughout the rest of the year.

One year the village elders announced a plan: Everyone in the village was to bring a single cup of water to a large tank in the center of the town during the rainy season. Then, when the dry season came and water was scarce, the village would still have water, and they would all share equally the water in the tank.

The villagers all cheered the elders' plan, and it was agreed. The rainy season came and went; dust began to settle on the village, the ground began to crack from the dryness, and water became scarce.

Then the day arrived when the elders agreed that the tank should be opened and the precious water should be shared among the villagers. Everyone gathered around the tank with cups and bowls, and a spirit of celebration was in the air. With great ceremony, the elders opened the tank-and discovered that not a drop of water was to be found inside!

Only then was it learned that not one of the villagers who had agreed to the elders' plan had given a single cup of water. Each had assumed that his or her cup of water would not be missed, and so the water tank had sat empty throughout the rainy season. The village was without water.

It's easy to think that no one will notice our unfaithfulness. It's easy to skip church or not attend a club meeting at school or decide not to fulfill a promise we've made to a friend, thinking "no one will notice" or "it's no big deal."

But unfaithfulness doesn't hurt only those who are depending on us; it hurts us, too. If each of the villagers had brought his or her cup of water, that water would have been returned to them all. If you are faithful, you'll receive faithfulness back-from God and from others, many times over.

REFLECT: What do you think would have happened if the villagers in the story above had kept their agreement? Do you ever act like those villagers, thinking no one will notice your irresponsibility or unfaithfulness? Have you ever been hurt or disappointed by someone's unfaithfulness? Have you ever been hurt or disappointed by your own unfaithfulness?

Suggestion : Read the words of Psalm 18:25-28 out loud, this time making them your prayer to God.

Little Sheep

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:27-28 (NKJV)

I was at church last Sunday and I noticed a group of young children approximately 4-5 years old. They were tethered together in a long line and being led by their teacher to go to the restrooms. It was cool to see each of these children hanging onto a circular ring, which in turn was attached to the main rope. Each of them clung tightly and they looked around to see if their friends were still hanging on—making sure none of them were somehow disconnected, or getting lost along the way. Each of them looked to their teacher who was leading them, and they followed perfectly.

As I looked upon these children I felt as though the Lord was giving me a simple, but perfect picture of how our walk with Him should be. It was like little sheep following their parent's every instruction. God is our father and we should be committed to following Him. In many ways, we should be like these children; holding fast to Jesus, and having a child-like faith—trusting in where He is leading.

Additionally, as God’s children, we should be aware of those around us who are also tethered to Christ. We need to make sure they don’t wander off or get lost along the way. Unfortunately, at times we can miss those who wander off because we are simply focused on the others who are still present, but God is very concerned about each of His sheep and He wants us to be as well.

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” Luke 15:4-5 (NKJV)

I want to encourage you to meditate upon these things today. Let’s be aware of those who are missing from our fellowship gatherings. Let’s take the time to go check on them to make sure they are okay. And let’s stay just like little children in our faith and continue to follow our Lord’s leading.

STUDY QUESTION: According to Luke 15:4-5 how important are each of us to God?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to keep an eye on those you are fellowshipping with and check up on them when they are missing?

APPLICATION: Let’s make the commitment within our hearts to keep an eye on the people we fellowship with and be available to check up on them if they are suddenly missing.

Mt. Everest

“For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, “This man began to build and was not able to finish.” Luke 14:28-30 (NKJV)

I was recently reading an article about three people who had died while climbing Mt. Everest. Nepali-born Canadian Shriya Shah, 32, German Eberhard Schaaf, 61, and South Korean Song Won-bin, 44, had each made it to the summit, but they didn’t make it back down the mountain. Each of them was climbing with different teams, and yet each of them died within feet of each other while descending from the mountains peak.

As I thought about this tragedy I thought about how each of these people had perished. Each of them had died alone on the face of a mountain. I am sure each of them had trained for this day, and had great expectations of summiting the highest peak in the world. I am equally sure each of them knew of the eminent danger of death, but did they truly count the cost? I am not judging their decision to risk dying to climb this mountain, but I have to wonder if they really thought about what could be lost. Was it worth dying for?

In many ways we all have to make the same decision as these mountaineers—is what we are doing worth what it will cost us? Maybe we aren’t sharpening our crampons or planning on training our bodies to live on a wisp of oxygen, but we are making crucial decisions in how we will live out our lives. And just like these climbers we will one-day face death. There might not be an article written about how we died, but there will be a record in heaven of how we lived, and for what we gave our life to achieve.

In actuality each of us has been given a greater mountain to climb than Mt. Everest—we’ve been given a greater achievement to accomplish than summiting 29,029 feet, and it will cost us our very lives. Jesus said, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:34-36).

I want to encourage you to meditate upon these things today. Let’s choose to identify with the goals we are setting for our own lives. Let’s choose to count the costs of following Jesus and be willing to lose our lives for Christ and for the sake of the gospel.

STUDY QUESTON: According to Mark 8:34-36 what did Jesus say we would receive by losing our life for Him?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: If there were a eulogy written today about how you lived your life, what would it say?

APPLICATION: Let’s choose to focus on proper goals and hold fast to what we know to be right. Let’s count the cost and climb the mountain our lord has set before us with confidence.

Stepping Stones to Success

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." - Isaiah 41:10. 


Many achievements in life have come from a setback, an accident, or some kind of crisis or even suffering. For instance, the first cars had to be started by cranking the motor by hand. At times the engine would "kick" back the crank handle. This happened to Charles Kettering and it broke his arm.


"There must be a safer way to start cars than this," Kettering reasoned and he went on to invent self-starters for cars.


Jacob Schick was prospecting for gold where the temperature fell to 40 degrees below zero. He had a hard time trying to shave with a blade without sufficient hot water—so he invented the first electric shaver.


Eugene O'Neill had no specific goal or aim in life until he became ill and had to go to hospital. While lying flat on his back he began to write his plays.


A number of years ago I had an accident on a construction site which put me in hospital for a week. For a few years I had been battling a sense of God's call to Christian service but never acted on it until I was flat on my back with time to think. It was there in the hospital that I said, "Okay, God, you win. I know what you want me to do." That was the day I made the decision to go back to college to train for Christian ministry.


So, when things go wrong in your life and you experience a major setback, lose your job, or have an accident, perhaps God has something for you to learn, or something else he wants you to do. The important thing is to be open to what God is saying.


Often a disaster is "God's wake-up call" to teach us an important lesson, to help us grow, or to lead us in a different direction.


Most of us are not going to be struck down like Saul [Paul] was and hear a voice from heaven and be left blind for three days when God calls. Some of us, though, who are hardheaded have to be hit over the head as it were with a "four-by-four" for God to get our attention. But for most of us God leads through his Word, our circumstances, and through a "still small voice" within that gives us a sense of what God wants us to do.


"Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples . . . As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'" (Acts 9:1,3-4, NIV).

Living According to The Spirit Part II

Why Do I Struggle?

Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Matthew 26:41 (NKJV)

Okay, I agree with the Bibles teachings, you say; but I have a hard time doing the things I know to be right. Why do I struggle?

If you can relate to this scenario, then congratulations; youre human! And when I say human, I mean flesh and blood human. The fact is all of us at one point or another, and pretty much daily, struggle to one degree or another.

So whats up? Why do we struggle so much? Are we slow to learn, or just plain lazy or what?

Truth be told, its all part of the process of our human makeup. Let me explain. To fully understand just who and what we are, we need to look at God, and who and what He is. The reason why we need to do this is because we were made in His image, and in His likeness.

Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness& Genesis 1:26 (NKJV)

Man was designed in the image of God. Since God is a TrinityFather, Son and Holy Spirit; He created man in a lesser Trinity.

Man is composed of three parts; you can call it an inferior trinity.
1.He is Spirit, that is the deepest part of you---the real you!
2.He is Soul, That is your mind and emotionsYour personality
3.He is Body. Thats the temporary tent you live inYour flesh!
So the struggle occurs within our soul, which is our mind or consciousness. You see our body, or flesh wants to feed its needs, and desires to walk in the ways of the world, and our Spirit wants to feed its needs and desires to walk in unity with God.
So, the end result is these two (The flesh and the Spirit) are in a constant state of battle, fighting for control over our mind. Whoever has the greatest influence on the mind, causes the flesh to walk according to its desires.

Q;So, we must ask ourselves, Which one is controlling me?
A:The answer is whichever one you are feeding.
You see, when we think on the things of the flesh, such as what to eat, drink or what clothes we are going to wear, then we will simply walk in the flesh, attempting to fill those needs. Jesus actually tells us not to be thinking about these things.

So dont worry about these things, saying, What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Matthew 6:31-32 (NKJV)

Focusing on the flesh isnt just about these things either; it is anything the flesh desires. Bottom line is, we need to take control of what we allow our mind to think upon. When we think upon the spiritual things; the things of God, such as His Word, and all those things contained within it, we will allow the Spirit to control what the body does.
"We will find ourselves wanting the very things God wants for us.
"We will find our desires will be the very desires He wants to fill within our lives.
"We will find our actions will be the very actions He wants us to act upon.
Every one of us face struggles through the temptations of our flesh. It is not a hopeless struggle, because as Christians, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome each temptation we face.
Our responsibility is to watch and Pray. We need to keep our eyes on God, and not on the things of this world. We need to continually pray to God to help us in our strength, wisdom, and discernment.
We now need to decide what we will think upon, because this is what will determine how much we struggle, and whom we end up serving. Hey Christian, if the thought does not glorify God, then get rid of it. Dont keep thinking on it replace it with something good!

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 (NLT)

STUDY QUESTION: What does Jesus warn us about in Matthew 26:41? What are we told to think upon in Philippians 4:7?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Can you relate to your spirit being willing, but your flesh being weak? Can you see the fight between the spirit and flesh going on over your mind?

APPLICATION: Seek God in prayer constantly, then seek His Word and meditate upon these things. The Holy Spirit will give you the strength to win each of these battles, and to live a life full of victory.

Living According to The Spirit Part I

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. Galatians 5:16-17 (NKJV)


There are so many self-help books available to guide us to living a better life; and many people have an opinion as to what we need to do so we will have peace of mind.

Q: But what does the Bible say about this?

I think this is paramount to living a Christ-like life.

The Bible teaches us, there are two ways to live our lives; either according to the flesh, or according to the spirit. Lets take a look at what each one entails so we can identify with our human nature.

Q:What does it mean to live according to the flesh?

A:It means that we live carnally or to feed the flesh, and the fleshly desires. We refer to this state as the Natural Man. This is how every one lives before without Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And we can even choose to live this way after we have made a profession of faith. It is a constant struggle between our Spirit and our flesh. And our mind is the thing which will determine who wins. We will look at this struggle in part II of this devotional, but first lets look at what the struggle is over.



The Natural Man will have his desires fixed on Earthly things.
He will be focusing on things such as food, drink, and sexual activities; where he is going to live, and work, and how to acquire more stuff.
This is where the mind of the Natural Man is at, because the body or the Flesh is in control. So his mind is constantly thinking about the needs and desires of his body, and therefore, his priorities are on these things continually. When a man does this, he is no different than an animal, because animals are only concerned with the body needs.

God knows that we have legitimate needs in our flesh, but without knowing the Lord, we will be inclined to seek these legitimate needs in an illegitimate way, or to put them first before our spiritual needs. We should be seeking God first and foremost in our lives, and then these things will be taken care of (See Matthew 6:33).
Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. Romans 8:5-6 (NLT)

But once the natural man is born again, then the Holy Spirit of God is in control of his life. He is now the Spiritual Man. When this happens, he is now concerned with spiritual things. He is no longer focused on the things of the flesh, but instead he will be focusing on his relationship with God. He will talk about the Lord, and how God is working in his heart. He will be praising God for what is happening in his life, and he will be looking for ways to serve the Lord.
The man who is living after the spirit will realize he is related to God, and he is made in the image of God. He will seek to be in union with God daily and to walk in the Spirit of God.

Once weve made the transition from the Natural Man, to the Spiritual Man, we have begun a new life in the Spirit. We no longer have to allow our flesh to control our behavior because we have been given the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome the bondage of Sin in our mortal bodies.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; Acts 1:8 (NIV)
But even though we have been given this gift of the Spirit, we will still have a body that seeks to fulfill its desires, and so we will have to come to the Lord in prayer daily for His help and the ability to overcome these temptations.

In Part II of this devotional, we will look at this ongoing struggle, and why we are still wrestling with temptations.

STUDY QUESTION: According to Galatians 5:16-17, how can we keep from fulfilling the lust of the flesh?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Can you relate to the times in your life where you have not been seeking the Lord, and found that your desires for things in the world seem to be stronger?

APPLICATION: Make a commitment within your life to seek the Lord daily, in reading the Word, and spending times in prayer.

Sharing in Faith 101-Part IV

Ive been Justified, Redeemed, and Sanctified!

In the first 3-parts of this devotional series on sharing the faith, weve learned;

1.Were qualified to share the Gospel Message.
2.Weve learned what the Gospel Message is.
3.Weve learned what Gods Grace is.

In this devotional, we will look at what it means to be Redeemed, Justified, and Sanctified.

1.The biblical meaning of the word Redeemed is:
"To pay for the sins of humanity with death on the Cross.

We are told in the scriptures, God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col 1:13-14). And in Ephesians 1:7, we are told In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of Gods grace.

In the Old Testament, atonement for sin was attained through the sacrificed blood of animals. But it was only temporary, because it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin (Heb 10:4). Only Jesus blood could take away the sin of the world.

God paid for our sins with the blood of Christ, simply because of His unmerited favor upon us. And because of this, we have been justified before God.


2.The biblical meaning of the word Justified is:
"To free somebody from sinfulness through faith in Jesus Christ or by the grace of Jesus Christ. In other words, Not guilty!

The Scriptures tell us everyone is guilty of sin.

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23 (NKJV)

But then the very next verse gives us the great news, as it says, and are Justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus (Rom 3:24). Jesus Christ was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our Justification (Rom 4:25). The result of this Justification is we have peace with God.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1 (NKJV)

And because we have been redeemed and justified, we have also been sanctified.

3.The biblical meaning of the word Sanctified is:
"To be Made Holy.

The word sanctified comes from a root word, which is hagios, which is also translated saint, the root word.
It means one who is set apart for exclusive purposes. God has set apart your life for His use now that you have been saved. We have been set apart from the world and the things of the world as well. Our life should reflect Gods ways, and this process will continue until we see God. God wants to use us to further the Kingdom. He wants to use us in the lives of other believers as well; to build up, and strengthen those who are going through hardships.
This is exactly what God did with the Apostles in the early church. He sent them out to share the Gospel message with the unsaved world to open their eyes in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Jesus (see Acts 26:18).

And because we have been sanctified as Christians, we are to sanctify the Lord in our heartsWe need to make a place for God especially within our hearts
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1Peter 3:15 (NKJV)

We have been saved by Gods grace (His unmerited favor), and we have been redeemed (paid for). And as a result of this redemption of Jesus blood, we have been justified (declared, not guilty), and we have been sanctified (Set apart for Gods purpose). Understanding the biblical truths of these facts, enables us to share the Gospel message in faith and love.

I want to encourage you today to share this message with those whom God lays upon your heart, and those He brings into your life.

STUDY QUESTION: What do the words, Redeemed, Justified, and Sanctified, mean?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Can you see the importance of knowing the meaning of these words as well as how they affect your life?

APPLICATION: Allow God to help you share the Message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. It will be the best blessing you could possibly receive.

Sharing in Faith 101-Part III

Amazing Grace!

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

Q:So why is Grace so amazing?
A:Because it is Unmerited Favor!

That simply means we have been given favor that was undeserved.

I think the song Amazing Grace, captures the essence of this message beautifully.

"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me....
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.
Twas Grace that taught...
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear...
the hour I first believed.

We are saved by grace, through faith. It is Gods free gift of grace which we are ultimately saved by, and not by any effort or works of our own. This grace is like water, and the hose with which it flows to us is called faith. This faith is the medium or method which apprehends our salvation, and it is necessary to every believer.

Q:So how do we get this faith? Do we earn it by believing real hard?
A:No! Faith is not something a person can produce;

Faith is simply a trustful response that is itself evoked, by the Holy Spirit. Its given to us by the Holy Spirit

Lest faith should be in any way misinterpreted as our contributing in any way to our own salvation,
It, too, is a free gift from God (See Eph 2:9). And the reason we are given this gift, is because God didnt want man boasting he had done something to earn his salvations. The entire process is a free gift from God. All that is required is for man to exercise his free will, and simply receive the gift.

So as believers, we owe our entire salvation entirely to the undeserved favor of God.

For those who find it hard to be given something of great worth, they might justify the gift based on their living a good life, or being a good person, but we can see from Scripture, Nothing good dwells in our flesh!
For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. Romans 7:18 (NKJV)

The entire process of salvation comes from nothing that we have done. So we will spend eternity with God, singing praises to Him forever and ever. And as the lyrics of the song Amazing Grace, so eloquently state; When we've been here ten thousand years&bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise&then when we've first begun.

Im looking forward to that day&.How about you?

STUDY QUESTION: What is Grace?


PERSONAL INVENTORY: Have you accepted Gods grace upon your life?


APPLICATION: Stop trying to earn, what God has given freely; simply accept it and respond by sharing the Good News.

Sharing in Faith 101-Part II

What is The Gospel?


For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)

In Part I of this series, we looked at whether the average Christian was qualified to share the Gospel message with others. What qualifications would one have to possess, and where would they get their ability? And we found conclusive evidence from Scripture, showing each and every Christian is in fact equipped to share this great news. The next logical question would then be:
Q:So what is the Gospel message, or what is also known as the Good News?

A:That Christ died for our sins, and that He was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3).
Were told in Romans 1:16-17, that the Gospel is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, and the just shall live by faith. We can see the righteousness of God being revealed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because even God could not forgive our sins in an unrighteous way. It would not have been righteous at all for a judge to totally dismiss the charges against a guilty man. And so God had to judge righteously against our sin, and the payment would be the death sentence.


So Jesus Christ was substituted in our place; the righteous for the unrighteous. And so God made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2Corinthians 5:21). So by substituting Jesus in our place, God now had a righteous basis for forgiving our sin, since the payment was paid in full. He took everything we deserved, which was the death penalty, and placed it upon His Son, and the sentence was carried out on the Cross of Calvary.

The Gospel message of Jesus is the centerpiece of our Christian life. Its message is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1Cor 1:18). It is where we get our faith to believe.

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
Because of its significance to the believer, the devil will attack the validity of the Gospel and even distort the truth of the Scriptures with false understandings and teachings. The Apostle Paul warned the Galatians of this heresy in his epistle to the early church their.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! Galatians 1:6-8 (NIV)

Today, many cults distort the simplicity of the message written thousands of years ago. It is said, imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and Satan uses this technique to perfection. We need to know as Christians, our Bible has been written in a way God intended. We can interpret Scriptures by the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside the hearts of every believer. We do not need the aid of another book to understand the truths of Gods Word. I am not against commentaries, but I would warn against going to them first before prayerfully reading the Word.

Be careful of any writing, or book in which man has put as much, or even more validity in as the Bible. This is a sure sign of the enemy. And be on guard of someone adding too, or deleting from the Scriptures, because this is in direct opposition to the strong warnings of God.

And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. Revelation 22:19 (NIV)

Jesus Christ died for the sin of the world, and He rose again on the third day. It is a simple message. In our next devotional, well take a look at how we get this gift, and well look at some of the results of being saved as well.

STUDY QUESTION: What is the Gospel message?


PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to share the Gospel message of faith?


APPLICATION: Ask God to bring someone into your life today whom He would want you to share the Gospel with.

Sharing in Faith 101-Part I

Am I Qualified?

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 (NIV)

Do you remember the feeling you encountered when you started a new job? Do you remember the frustration at times when you were willing to put forth the effort; you really wanted to do it, but you simply couldnt, because you didnt have the experience or knowledge as of yet? I remember this all too well. But eventually, you learned and became familiar with everything needed to do the job, and before you knew it, you were doing your job to the best of your effortlessly.

What would have happened if you were unwilling to properly learn the job though? We all know the answer to this question; it would have resulted in being terminated.

There may have even been times during our employment history when we may have gotten in over our head with regards to what was needed to perform a job, and this, too, could have resulted in frustration, as our or lack of abilities kept us from doing the job. When we become frustrated, this can cause us to be depressed, discouraged, and even result in our quitting.

In like manor, we can, and will, face these same challenges in our Christian walk. Whether we are new believers in Jesus or weve been saved for 40-years; it doesnt matter; we all need to know the basics and be trained and ready so we can do the job our Lord and Savior has called us to do.

Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 1Peter 3:15 (NLT)

I felt compelled to write a series of devotions on helping Christians in sharing the Gospel message with others. And more specifically, what the Gospel Message is; what happens when we receive Christ, and how it should affect our life. These basic elements are essential, and having a clear understanding will make the job easy and rewarding. You may know all of these, but you can always brush up, or share this with others who want to know.

In Part one, I wanted to address a common question many believers have, and the question is this:

Q:Am I even qualified to share the Gospel Message?
A:Yes! Not only yes, but a Praise Jesus! Yes!

Here are a few things, which will allow you to understand why you, and every other believer are qualified to share:

1.The Holy Spirit will teach us The Gospel Message.

We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 1Corinthians 2:12 (NIV)

2.The Holy Spirit will remind us of what we have studied when sharing with others.

But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representativethat is, the Holy Spirithe will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. John 14:26 (NLT)

3.The Holy Spirit will supply the power to us to go and boldly share the message.

And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 1Corinthians 2:4 (NLT)

So, we can clearly see we are qualified to share the Gospel, because we know God will teach us as we read the Word. He will remind us of what we have read when we are talking with others. And He will give us the power to be bold when sharing our faith, and our testimony with others.

This doesnt mean every one of us is going to be a professional evangelical preacher. In fact, some are given greater talents with regards to speaking and sharing the Gospel. But we can know in our hearts, weve all been given the power of the Holy Spirit to do everything God has called us to do. And we know He will equip us for each situation. Our free will determines whether we will allow Him to use us, or not. We just need to be willing to be obedient to the great commission in sharing the Gospel.

STUDY QUESTION: According to Acts 1:8, where will we receive our power from, and for what purpose?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to allow God to use you to share the Gospel message of salvation?

APPLICATION: Seek God daily in prayer. Ask Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit so you will overflow with the power needed to accomplish His will through your life.

Prodigal or Pig

But his father said to the servants, Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found. So the party began. Luke 15:22-24 (NLT)


Im sure youve heard the story of the Prodigal Son. It is a story given by Jesus in the Book of Luke, depicting a son leaving his family to go out into the world to live his life according to what he desired, rather than living it the way he knew was right.

As the story goes, the son confronts his father and tells him to I want my share of your estate now before you die. His father gives it to him, and within a few days the young man is packed, and off to a distant land. Once there, he lived foolishly and sinfully until all of his money was squandered on wild living.

About this time, a famine broke out throughout the whole land, and he began to starve. He ended up persuading a local farmer to hire him, where he was sent out into the fields to feed the pigs. He became so hungry, even the pods, (the seeds of the carob tree used for pigs) looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

Finally, one day, he came to his senses, and he said to himself, At home, even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you.

This story was shared by Jesus to illustrate the life of a Christian who turns away from what they know to be right, and they instead live carnally; seeking to live a life of pleasure.

There are basically (3) types of people in the world.

1.The Natural man.

The Natural man is what we all were before we were saved. He or she simply lived by the flesh, constantly seeking to fulfill its desires. They were enslaved to sin.

2.The Spiritual man.

The Spiritual man is the one who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and who now walks in the spirit abiding in Gods Word. He will stumble and even sin occasionally, but it is his or her desire to walk with God, and be right with Him.

3.The Carnal Man.

The Carnal Man has been born again, but he lives in the energy of his own flesh. He is not allowing the power of God given to him through the Holy Spirit to live a righteous life. Instead he continues to allow his body to determine what he will do. The Carnal Man, can appear to be saintly and righteous, but he is miserable inside because he knows he cant live up to the rules and regulations he has placed upon himself.

And there is nothing more frustrating than to try to live and keep the commandments of God in an attempt to be accepted or loved by Him.

The truth though is we dont have to live a righteous life to earn Gods unconditional love and acceptance. He already loved us enough to allow His Son to die for our us, and to pay for our mistakes (sin).

Q:But how can we tell the difference between a Christian living carnally, and an unbeliever?

A:This story above gives us insight. Take one of those pigs the Prodigal Son was tending to, and clean it up. Wash it with soap and water; throw some perfume on it, and tie a cute little ribbon on its head, and a bow on its tail. Take it on down to the local county fair and win a ribbon while showing him off. You see, although he appears to be transformed, hes still a pig. In fact, the very next mud hole that comes his way, hell stop and wallow in it with a happy heart, because thats who he really is.

The Prodigal on the other hand, even though he might find himself willingly in the mud hole every now in then, he wont truly be comfortable there. It will only be a matter of time until he cries out, Get me out of here!
As Christians, we will all be the prodigal at one point or another. Some of us will blow it big time, while others keep the appearance of righteousness, while playing in the mud, even if only in our mind. But it is really no difference, because we both walked away from the Lord in our hearts. We will both eventually cry out, forgive me Lord, I want to come back home. I want to be in the loving comfort of your arms Father.
And God will respond with open arms, welcoming us back.

Maybe youve taken a walk about and are still out there with the pigs even now. Perhaps its time to come home. Its easier than you think. Just stop and talk to your heavenly Father right now. Tell Him, Father, I want to come back. I want to have the peace I once felt when I was close with You. Forgive me for the way Ive been living. I choose to follow You today. Help me to walk with You. Show me what You want me to know when reading Your Word.

Welcome back!

STUDY QUESTION: According to the Scriptures above, what is Gods reaction when we come back to Him?


PERSONAL INVENTORY: Can you relate to times within your own life, where youve been a prodigal? Are you walking away or towards God today?


APPLICATION: Staying focused on God instead of the cares and the wants of this world is the surest way to staying close to the Lord. There is nothing in this world worth our soul or the peace we have been given when we are seeking God daily.

Problem or Solution-What Part Are You?

How can I alone bear your problems and your burdens and your complaints? Choose wise, understanding, and knowledgeable men from among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you. And you answered me and said, The thing which you have told us to do is good. Deuteronomy 1:12-14 (NKJV)


Chances are weve all found a way to deal with our problems, and weve probably developed a pattern with which we fall into once something begins to cause us concern. For some, its instant worry, because weve run the film in our head of the worse case scenario, and it has our heart racing.

For others, theyve found some seemingly fantastic way of burying it. I say, Seemingly, because there is usually a payment to be had for this way of handling stress as well, and it usually comes along with a stroke or a heart attack.

We should be aware, we will all, in fact, face problems and tribulation within our lives. We will all be faced with challenges, and inabilities to handle or control a situation at some point.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2Corinthians 1:3-4 (NKJV)

We need to remember, we have a Savior who is sympathetic to our situation. He has been through every form of testing Himself. And because He has been through this, He is able to lead us, and comfort us during our trials.

So what happens we the problems when face are not our own?

Thats right! Some of the situations we will face are the problems of others. And by our reaction to their situation, we have made the problem ours. So how we handle the problem can be a problem itself. Let me give an example:

Have you found yourself with compassion, for someone else in need? You are identifying with their legitimate problem or need, and become frustrated, only to start complaining yourself, or begin murmuring about how it isnt being handled correctly.

The next thing you know, your defending them, or attempting to help them through it, as you criticize, gripe, grumble, or whine about the injustice befalling them. When this happens, weve somehow become part of the problem, rather than a part of the solution.

We can become so engrossed in helping someone; we lose our ability to be helpful in the way God intended for us to be. It is important to think about this before we find our self in the midst of a heated exchange with someone as we attempt to help another person.

We need to remember, God is in control always! He is sovereign, and He has a plan. Ask Him, and then allow time for Him to work it out. Dont make the problem your personal problem, because its not what God intended.

I am learning every day of my limitations and inabilities, while understanding more clearly of Gods greatness and strength. Im finding He is capable of defending those in need, and He wants me to be involved in a great way. But I need to let Him do it through me. I need to go before Him in prayer immediately asking Him for the wisdom and the discernment of how I can be of assistance beyond praying.

Im finding the more time I spend in Gods Word; the more I am being equipped to handle each new challenge I face. I think of it as a spiritual workout. Knowing the Word and what it says about handling various situations, prepares me for the actual situation in the same way as going to the gym and doing cardio exercise prepares me for running a 5K race. The more I prep, the easier it is to meet the challenge, and the better the result. But it is always God doing it through me.

If you find yourself in the midst of a problem, seek wise Christian counsel. Make sure the information you receive is what the Bible is advising, and not just some opinion. And if youre a Christian, then you should be staying in the Word; preparing to give good counsel, because this is how God can use us.

Hey Christian, were either part of the problem, or were part of the solution. Its our choice.

STUDY QUESTION: According to the scripture in Deuteronomy, who should we seek when having a problem? According to 2 Corinthians above, how should we seek to help those who are in need?


PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to seek God immediately when confronting a problem issue?


APPLICATION: Lets try to be used by God to help others find a solution to their problems. Lets keep guard that we arent a part of the problem by reacting in the flesh.

Abundance

"In the evening you will have meat and in the morning you will be stuffed with bread, and you shall know that I am Jehovah your God. - Exodus 16:12 (TLB). 


There is something very satisfying in seeing row upon row of canned goods added to my shelves, jars of fruit and vegetables that are the colour of gems: ruby salsa and spaghetti sauce, golden peaches, pale pears, emerald pickles, and jams in a rainbow of colours. This is the season of abundance, and it is very obvious in my kitchen.


Just as God provided for the Israelites, He provides for us. So many of us have more than we need. Our cupboards are filled to overflowing. In this season of abundance, let's take a moment to remember others, and to share some of what we might have. As God has richly blessed us, so may we bless others.

Building, Gods Way!

Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us. So we labored in the work, and half of the men held the spears from daybreak until the stars appeared. Nehemiah 4:17-21 (NKJV)

I get emails from Christian brothers and sisters throughout America, writing to give encouragement, and giving thanks for the devotionals they have received. Its such a blessing to see how God is speaking to them through these writings. I truly do give all the Glory to God, because it is He who leads and guides me as I write. Whats cool to me is the feeling of knowing I am able to serve along side these people in the ministry. Even though we may be separated by thousands of miles, we stand united as the Church. Information is exchanged of the battles theyre fighting, and scripture and prayer is the ammunition the Lord gives in return.

These are the same principles I see in the scriptures above. The people were working together to build what God had laid upon their hearts to rebuild. There was a distance between the workers upon the wall, but they kept in communication, and they supported each other.

Nehemiah was faithful in undertaking the rebuilding of the temple walls, as the enemy sought to destroy this work. But the people, united by God, and under the leadership of Nehemiah, held fast to what God had called them to do. They worked as a team, even though great distances separated them. They remained armed the whole time with their swords in hand. As Christian men and women, we too, should be united as a body of believers. And we, too, are told in Ephesians 6, to put on the whole armor of God, so that we can stand against the wiles of the devil.

And although we will occasionally, in our flesh, battle with those who dont have the same Christian goals or values as we do, were really not wrestling against their flesh and blood. Because we are told in Ephesians, our fight is against the rulers of the darkness of this age, and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. So the battles are spiritual battles, which are being waged against us. So we are to arm ourselves, and to have our sword; our Word of God, as our only defensive weapon.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; Ephesians 6:13, 17 (NKJV)


Ephesians 6 tells us there are several pieces of armor we are to have on. But our weapon, with which we will stand and defend ourselves with, is the Word of God. And so we will work together for Gods Kingdom, keeping a vigil towards the enemy, armed with our swords, as we continue to build that, which God has called us to build.

Notice how the people who were building the wall were never told to attack the enemy when they saw them. They were simply to be prepared to defend against the attacks. We see this same principle in the scripture above, where we are told to Stand. Again, there is no command given for us to go on the attack. We are told to stand our ground, and defend our position, using the sword, which is Gods Word.

That should tell us much with regard to the power contained within the Bible, and with how we are to use it. Were not to go around on a spiritual witch-hunt, looking for the enemy and attempting to attack him. We are to be about the business of building relationships, and sharing the Gospel message; serving those the Lord has placed within our lives, and standing firm when the enemy is attacking us.

We can see Nehemiah had a contingency plan for when the enemy attacked as well, and this was to sound the trumpet. By doing this, they would be notifying those fellow believers who werent directly next to them about the impending trouble; alerting them because they were in need of help. We, too, should be doing the same thing when we are being attacked spiritually. We need to find solid fellow Christians, armed with a solid knowledge of the Word of God, who will give us good counsel and be willing to pray with us when the enemy is throwing fiery darts at us.

One last thing we can learn from this story of Nehemiah and the people who worked together building the wall, and it is this; they worked from daybreak till the stars came out. This shows us the intensity and seriousness of the job at hand. It should be the same for us as well. We should realize the Lords eminent return, and this should motivate us to work diligently, making the most of the days.

STUDY QUESTION: What principles can we glean and implement in our Christian walk from the scriptures above?


PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you using the Word of God as your only defensive weapon when being attacked?


APPLICATION: Ask God to bring solid Christian believers into your life so you may have someone to call out to, when youre being attacked.

Children & Parents

"He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse. - Malachi 4:6. (NIV).


A friend of mine was preaching recently, and his text was on John the Baptist. He made the connection between the words in Luke 1:17, "turn the hearts of the fathers to their children", and today's verse in Malachi. I had never noticed before this aspect of fatherhood. Something within said that there is a danger, where parents are too busy for their children, that it can have effects on the family and on the society both present and future. The sins of the parents will be visited on the children, a self-fulfilling prophecy for the people, with a curse as a consequence for the land.


I talked to my wife about this thought, and, in reply, she mentioned an article in her magazine, entitled something akin to "How to be a mother in 60 minutes a day." It raised the question in my heart, why are we so keen to have families, and yet not give them the priorities given in scripture? Yes, we need money to live but at what a cost?


Jesus was keen to receive the small children, and wants us to come to Him with the uncluttered and wholehearted faith of children. They are important to Him because they are just the same in spirit as those of us who are older, in a more capacious container. Why then is the bus-I-ness (i.e. being too busy for too long) of work creating an acceptability of absenteeism from our families, that is in danger of consuming our society?


I think about my own parenthood. How has this been influenced by my history? How, in turn, am I influencing, have I influenced, my children? How will this influence my children's children?



And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:3 - (NIV)

Benevolence-Opening Your Heart & Hand

Share your food with the hungry, and give shelter to the homeless. Give clothes to those who need them, and do not hide from relatives who need your help. Then your salvation will come like the dawn, and your wounds will quickly heal. Your godliness will lead you forward, and the glory of the LORD will protect you from behind. Then when you call, the LORD will answer. Isaiah 58:7-9 (NLT)


Its our human fleshly nature to hang on to those things we cherish most. And this couldnt be more truthful when referring to our money. Our possessions are everything to us; especially in Western culture. Dont think so? Take a look at the next homeless person who is walking down the street, and notice the shopping cart, which is laden with what others deemed useless refuse. And yet, they will guard this prized possession and fight to keep it to their selves.

I remember from my youth being given the illustration of attempting to keep our stuff by tightly holding on to it. It is like picking up a handful of sand and squeezing it tightly. The more you squeeze and the tighter you hold on, the more it slips through the cracks of your tightly clinched fingers. Open your hand and youll find nothing.

Q:So how does this selfish habit of the human flesh line up with what we are told in the Bible?

We are told in Scripture to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves (Phil 2:3). And the 19th chapter of Matthew we read how Jesus told the rich man to sell his possessions and to give it to the poor. It wasnt because Jesus wanted him to be poor, its because he knew how much money meant to the rich man. Again, in the Book of Luke, Jesus gives advice about giving, and a promise for those who do this with proper motives and concern for those in need.

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in fullpressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. Luke 6:38 (NLT)

And we are told again in the Book of Acts:

&You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 (NKJV)

To give to others who are in need is an act of Benevolence.

Benevolence is defined as:

1.An inclination to be kind and helpful or generous
2.Something done or given out of kindness

This word Benevolence is a word every Christian should be familiar with, as each church should be equipped to meet the needs of the body of believers in times of need through a benevolence fund. Money is donated to the Church from the body of believers over and above their tithe money, and it is set-aside for people who have exhausted all options of help through family and friends and are in great need.


We can look in the book of Isaiah to see what God has told us to do with regards to this type of love. He gives us clear instruction on how we are to use our resources, and what we can expect to receive in return for this benevolence:

Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon. The LORD will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring. Isaiah 58:10-11 (NLT)

Ask The Lord to show you how to be a better steward of the resources He has given to you. As you are led, let them be given for the needs of those who are in need. Dont judge, just listen to your heart and give over and above your tithing. God will reward you in a blessing that is only felt by those who properly give in faith and happiness. Be benevolentBe like Christ.

STUDY QUESTION: What instructions are we given in the Scriptures above, and what are we promised in return?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to let go of what God has entrusted to you? Are you willing to be a better steward of those things, which have been given to you by God?

APPLICATION: Ask God to lead you where you are to share with others. Start by giving to the benevolence fund at your Church.

Give Me Your Eyes

Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them. Deuteronomy 4:9 (NIV)

I was listening to a song by Brandon Heath, called, Give Me Your Eyes today, and as I thought about the lyrics, I thought to myself, What if we had the eyes of the Lord, if only for a second?

Would it be a blessing to view others through Gods eyes or would it cause us to be overwhelmed because of our inabilities?

But then I remembered we are only limited if we get in Gods way. We can do anything and everything that we are called to do, and is needed providing it is His will. So, as I listened further, I realized these things were, in fact, His will. And so I sang along, and made it my prayer to the Lord:

Give me your eyes for just one second(
Give me your eyes so I can see(
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted(
Ones that are far beyond my reach.(
Give me your heart for the ones forgotten(
Give me your eyes so I can see
All those people going somewhere
Why have I never cared?

As Christians, we should take these words and turn it into a prayer each and every day as we seek to serve the Lord in our ministry. To have the eyes of the Lord would mean we would be looking on others with compassion; constantly contemplating where we can be of help. This could be through prayer, encouragement, accountability, or simply providing for a need.

Jesus told us in the sixth chapter of the Book of Matthew, The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness.

If our eyes are fixed upon the temporal things of this world, which offer pleasure to our body, then our mind is being fed with unrighteous thoughts, which if not captured will give birth to sin. The final effect will be our heart being filled with the wants and cares of this world, and the evil desires will spill forth, and our bodies will be concerned with feeding those desires. Selfishness and apathy will be a byproduct instead of compassion and concern.

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Matthew 15:18-19

If our eyes are fixed on eternal things, and on Jesus, then our mind is going to be filled with the Word of God, as we are spending time reading our bible, talking with the Lord in prayer, and in praising Him. Our heart will now be filled with His agape love. With this newfound love from God, we will think differently about the things we view with our eyes. And as a result, we now have concern for others, forsaking ourselves and considering others more important.

Having the eyes of the Lord so we may see the needs of others comes from the Lord; He is the one who gives us this gift. The apostle Paul gave thanks to God for putting this type of love and concern in Titus.

I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. 2Corinthians 8:16 (NIV)

Hey Christian, if youve found yourself in apathy; not feeling compassionate about those around you, then it may be time for you to shift what youve been focusing on. Ask yourself honestly, What have I been focusing on? Is it yourself, your needs, your wants, your concerns, your fears, and your desires? I want to encourage you to look to Jesus each and every day. Ask Him, Lord let me see things from Your perspective today. Give me Your eyes Lord, that I may see things differently.

Watch what happens when you do this. It changes everything instantly. Dont feel you have to change everything you see once you see the need. Just ask God to show you what He would have you do, and trust in His provision. Remember, where God guides, He provides. Its not about you, or your abilities or lack thereof, it is about His abilities and you allowing Him to work through you.

May God bless you richly today as you make it your personal goal to see things differently. All you have to do is ask. Will you do it today?

STUDY QUESTION: According to 2 Corinthians 8:16, where do we get our concern for others?


PERSONAL INVENTORY: Are you willing to let God change your heart so you may have a great concern for others?


APPLICATION: Seek God daily, giving your life to Him to be used in whatever way He chooses. Ask Him to give you His eyes so you may see things in the way He does.